FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Several metro Atlanta taxpayers accuse a local tax preparer of falsifying documents and, in some cases, never filing their tax returns.
They told Channel 2 it left them owing thousands of dollars to state and federal agencies.
The customers contacted Channel 2 investigative reporter Ashli Lincoln after receiving notices from the Internal Revenue Service and state tax authorities about unpaid taxes and incomplete filings.
A review of federal records also show the business does not appear to have the proper
The complaints center on Whitlan Tax Service, a business owned by Jahaya King.
Customers say they initially trusted the company to handle their tax filings but later discovered serious problems with their returns.
“That’s evil. That’s wicked,” said Donna Hines, a former client.
Another customer, who asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons, said the experience has shaken her confidence in local businesses.
“It’s very sad and it also hurts my trust in small businesses,” she said.
Channel 2 first reported on complaints about the company last year after Hines said she paid $15,000 to settle taxes for her 93-year-old mother.
“Every month she would have a thousand dollars withdrawn from my account,” Hines said.
Hines said she was told the payments were being sent to the IRS. Screenshots she provided show the money being withdrawn from her account, but she later alleged in a police report that the funds instead went directly to King and her husband.
Hines said her mother has since died, but she is still working to resolve tax debt tied to returns she says were never filed.
“If I had paid it on time, it would have been about $6,500,” Hines said. “Because of the penalties and the delay and no processing of her information, it is now $28,000.”
Another client said she went to King for help filing her 2024 taxes but was told several earlier returns needed to be corrected.
She said King told her she could receive a large refund if those filings were amended.
“So collectively it would probably be almost $40,000,” the customer said.
When Lincoln asked whether that seemed realistic, the woman replied, “It didn’t.”
Soon after, she said she began receiving letters from the IRS warning that her filings were incomplete.
“They are submitted but they’re not complete,” she said.
The woman later hired a certified tax professional who told her that COVID-era tax credits listed on her returns appeared to be falsified.
When she asked for copies of her amended returns, she said they were heavily redacted.
“She said my amended returns are like the Epstein files,” the woman said. “It’s so many codes in there that you can’t understand. So much redacted information.”
A search of the IRS database by Channel 2 found that neither King nor her husband appeared to have a Preparer Tax Identification Number, or PTIN — a federal requirement for paid tax preparers.
“PTINs are issued by the IRS to tax preparers every year,” said tax expert Shana Pope.
Pope said legitimate preparers carefully review a client’s income and documents and avoid making guarantees about refunds.
“A legitimate tax preparer is going to review your files, review your income, ask questions and not make any personal guarantees or promises,” Pope said.
Several customers said they have struggled to contact King about their concerns and were frequently told she was out of the office due to illness.
Lincoln said she received the same explanation when she visited the business in 2025 and again when she called the office earlier this month.
“She’s in the hospital,” someone at the business said during the call.
Lincoln later went to King’s home, where King spoke to her through a surveillance system while other family members arrived.
“I’ll tell you what you need to do — you need to leave the street,” a voice from the home system said.
King’s husband also arrived but declined to speak on camera and denied the allegations.
Tax experts say cases like this can leave taxpayers responsible for the consequences.
“When the IRS comes after their money, their penalties, et cetera, they come to the taxpayer, not the tax preparer,” Pope said.
Hines said that reality has made the situation even more frustrating.
“You’re lying to the government,” she said. “We have to sign off on your lie.”
Experts advise consumers to verify a tax preparer’s credentials before hiring them, confirm the preparer’s PTIN, avoid so-called “ghost preparers,” and carefully review tax returns before signing them.
South Fulton police confirmed there is one active investigation involving allegations of theft by deception tied to the complaints. The IRS also confirmed it is reviewing the allegations.
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